LAYING OFF Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

laying off

verb

present participle of lay off

as in ending

to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end you need to lay off eating those jelly doughnuts, or you'll end up looking like one

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for laying off

Verb

But the Mets missed the postseason in 2024 and were 10½ games out on April 26, ending the suspense early this season.

— Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Miami needed 43 points, two overtimes and a replay review to uphold a game-ending interception, but the Hurricanes left Hard Rock Stadium with a comeback victory over rival Florida State on Saturday night.

— Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of ending

Verb

While Joseph was productive with his legs, garnering 71 yards and one touchdown, the Bruins were effectively stopping the run — a theme consistent throughout the season — limiting the Badger running backs to 54 yards.

— Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Dylan, who adheres to a constant tour schedule and shows no signs of stopping soon, was 75 years-old when given his Nobel.

— Devon Ivie, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of stopping

Verb

Marshall has consistently voted against Senate War Powers Resolutions aimed at halting or restricting military operations in Iran.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
The scale of the decline triggered a circuit breaker, temporarily halting trading on the exchange — a frequent occurrence this year in a stock market dominated by just two stocks.

— Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of halting

Verb

Israel says commercial goods will no longer enter Gaza, cutting off a key source of food and shelter supplies as winter approaches for the roughly 2 million people in the territory.

— Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Deadhead blazing star during the growing season to encourage more flowering, but do not prune too soon, as cutting off the foliage may reduce next year’s blooms.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of cutting off

Verb

Walker turned the corner around a defender near the sideline, breaking off a 76-yard run to get Kansas City near the Las Vegas goal line.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 4 Oct. 2026
Experts believe Wednesday's mudslides and flash flooding across Nepal and China's Tibet region were caused by a large chunk of ice breaking off a glacier and falling into the Lhende Khola River.

— Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of breaking off

Verb

Changing spending habits Other Democratic megadonors are simply cutting out the middleman, picking individual races and candidates to support.

— Luke Fountain, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
The specialists also restored the painting’s linden wood frame by cutting out over 100 missing fragments from it and covering it with gold leaf.

— Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of cutting out

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“Laying off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laying%20off. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of laying off

verb

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